Port Vale have extended injured defender Adam Yates’s contract until the end of the season

The 34 year old’s deal was due to run out at the end of this month, but following a meeting with the player yesterday, terms have been agreed for the new deal.

Yates is the club’s longest player having been with the Valiants since 2009. He had surgery last week following a collision with team mate Sam Hornby in the reserves which left the defender with multiple facial injuries.

Surgeons worked on his eye socket, which dropped five millimetres, realigned his upper jaw, reset his broken nose, broken wrist and a dislocated thumb. He’s now waiting for a further operation and hoping his eyesight gets back to normal.

Sky Sports reported their understanding on Tuesday that Yates was going to be released at the end of December. But the player and club said today they were pleased to have reached an agreement.

Yates said: “I am grateful to the manager, to Colin [Garlick] and to the owner to have shown faith in me, especially after what has been reported in the last few days.

“Obviously, as a player, when you suffer an injury your first thought is the future, getting better and getting back playing. The club have offered me this chance, and I am massively grateful – especially given the situation I am in.”

Not only was Yates grateful to the club, he also had a message for those who helped and offered their support and love at this difficult time.

He added: “I especially want to thank Dr. Pete Grime and the staff at the University Hospital of North Midlands, as well as the people who picked me up in the ambulance – I have tried to find out who they are, but couldn’t.

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“Thank you for helping me during my injury and getting me to where I am now.

“I also want to thank the supporters and my family for their thoughts and cards after the injury – the support from you all really means a lot.”

Port Vale defender Adam Yates

Yates added: “Hopefully this will galvanise the fans and the boys to get this club where it deserves to be; further up the league. Hopefully the support that I have been shown today and over the past few weeks can be extended to the lads from the supporters in the stands.”

Manager Neil Aspin was also delighted with the contract extension: “My feelings straight from when he got injured, not just because of what type of lad he is and as a professional who I have a lot of respect for - I felt that it was the right thing to do.

“I am really pleased the club took the decision to do that for Adam.”

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He continued: “For Adam it was a hell of a blow that he received, and he sustained injuries that you don’t normally get in football, and the main thing is that Adam makes a full recovery and that he has no long lasting effects of the injury.”

Vale owner Norman Smurthwaite said: “Having witnessed first-hand the awful injury that Adam sustained I felt it was our duty to support a player who had given so much service to the club and a player that I have a very good relationship with.

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"Adam is a true professional and not only has he conducted himself very well, he has always represented the club impeccably. Hopefully he fully recovers from his injuries and he rebounds back in the football arena very soon.”